United Brachial Plexus Network, Inc.

I had nerve graft surgery on 7/12/07. Dr Lee used the Ulnar nerve to graft the Median nerve. 8/9/07 I got stabbing shooting pains in my left shoulder, elbow, wrist & fingers. I took 30 mgs of Oxycondone, 100 mgs Topomax, & 200 mgs Demerol. Mike messaged the areas to help. The resting pain was a 10. The shooting pain was excruciating. It lasted 2 & 1/2 hours. The next day I had the same thing but left off the Topomax & 100 mgs of Demerol. It wasn't as severe but lasted just as long. I had it again on Saturday but tried Flexural instead of Topmax, 25 mgs of Oxycondone, & 100 of Demerol. It was not as severe as the first night but lasted just as long. I did not have this attack last night. Has anyone had this? How did you treat it? It is brutal.

Janelle

Janelle

I can't help with the medication dosages...

I hope your pains will soon ease up.
Have you called your doctors to check and see what is going on?

Feel better

Kath robpi/adult

Hi Kath,
My surgeon is on vacation till 8/21. I have a call into my PCP. Dr. Kelly is very good about getting back to me. Sure hope she has some ideas. My usual pain level is a 3 1/2 right now it is a 6 1/2 and that is after taking 15 mgs of oxycodone. I saw my therapist today & she suggested a pain management clinic. I left that suggestion on my voice mail to my doctor as well. All I know is someone has to come up with something that won't turn me into a vegetable. I thought someone in this group might have had this problem & therefor have some suggestions. After all this is the group with the knowledge & experience.

Janelle

I hope someone will come up with an answer soon for you.

I just wanted you to know that someone is reading your post even if I can't help with the drug information.

I went to a pain manager but he wanted me to take strong drugs and I don't do well with any drugs.

I hope your pcp is able to help you today.

Kath robpi/adult

Oh Janelle I am so sorry that you are experiencing this at this time. I know it sucks when all anyone else can do is 'feel your pain'.
I spiced my medication with 50mg Methadone(5-10's) 4x daily. Along with 20mg oxycodone(4-5's) 4x daily. I take 2 Flexurals. I take 1300mg Neurontin 3x daily and 2 Soma's 2 daily. I sleep on 45mg tamazapam and you know what Janelle??? you can pretty much guess that it all still sucks. I do function with this regime wheras when I was drinking heavy doses of liquid morphine I guess I pretty much didn't give a crap and my spirit was reflecting it. Friends thought I was bi-polar. I hope you get help soon and write me at my email address please.
Scott

I have an appointment 8/21 with Dr. Manual Sanchez in Barrington, NH at 4:00. He specializes in Interventional Spine Medicine & Pain Management. Hopefully he will be able to assist me & come up with an effective plan.

Today was actually a good day for me. The pain level stayed between a 3 1/2 to 5 1/2. Sure beats the 6 1/2 & up that I was dealiung with since Thursday. I am hoping this turn will last.

Today I went to my office for the first time since 12/21/06. It was for an ergonomics review of what I will need when I return to work. My home will also be set up with a system so I can work from home. I can't wait to get back to work. I am supposed to work next Tuesday but it has not been approved by my employer & long term disability yet. They want my office to be set up for me before I return.

I will only be going back Tues. & Thurs. from 7 - 11 to start. I am not approved to go to my office on the days I have therapy. That is one of the reasons I want to work from home as well. I live an hour away from my office.

It sure was nice being at the office & seeing everyone again. A big step toward getting my life back.

Janelle

Janelle,

Sorry about the having to deal with "the last monkey" of this injury. It's an ugly beast! I've been on just about everything and then some. You do what you can and what you think is best. In the end getting off all the meds (something I thought I'd never even consider (who wants more pain!)) was the only real chance in 'mastering it'. Mediation is my best strategy. I wrote for the UBPN Outlreach Magazine about my ordeals and clinical trials for pain (learning mental strategies in a functional real-time MRI that really helped me out in the end). If you want to give it a look, just click the link below and it will automatically download the issue and the article starts on page 18.

I hope you find an answer.

Best of Luck,
Christopher


Fall 2006:
http://ubpn.org/Fall2006.pdf

Rest of the available Outreach Magazines:
http://ubpn.org/outreach.html

Sorry to hear about the pains Janelle, they are pretty common in tbpi unfortunately. It's been a while since I had a long bout of them but they still pop up every now and then to give me a shock. Like Chris I too get myself off meds and worked hard on other ways of pain management. I wanted to go back to work and was unable to function properly on the meds. Techniques described by Chris in the articles he's linked really do work, becoming med free sounds terrifying but everyone I know who's done it says the pain is definitely more bearable afterwards, and that was my experience.
I'm a little concerned to read that the doc you intend to see does spinal interventions-be very careful of that as the side effects can be fairly extreme.
I hope the recent diminshment of the pain you report continues, good luck and tell us what the doctor says.
Take care
Jen NZ

Hi Jen,
I really don't know anything about Interventional Spine Medicine. What is your concern? This is the web site I found on him. http://www.nhpain.com/sanchez.html.

I printed out the info from the site Keith gave me. I haven't had the chance to read it yet but I will today. I agree with getting off the meds. That is something I want to do. I know I will be having withdrawal when I do. I have already experienced that joy from coming off of other meds they have had me on.

Looks like I won't be going back to work till mid September due to my office being set up properly for me.

Thanks to all for all you help.

Janelle

Christopher,
Thank you so much for the Outreach Magazines. I read your article. It was great. I printed out several articles from many of the past issues. I will be doing a lot of reading tomorrow.

Thanks again,
Janelle